Riyadh police arrested a citizen on charges of burglary which he carried out wearing a mask to avoid being recognized by surveillance cameras in stores.

In a press statement, the police said security patrol on duty in the eastern part of the capital spotted a car which was reported as stolen by the Al-Alia police station. The driver was in his twenties.

When the patrol car asked the driver to stop and get out of the car, he fled the scene. The security officers then chased the man on foot and captured him after a hot pursuit.

The police found cash, prepaid phone cards and a number of IDs as well as the mask which was used in the crimes.

Sources said the thief was involved in breaking into a number of stores and stealing prepaid phone cards by force. They said that he hid his face to hide his identity from the security cameras.